So today I was STILL working on the ballgown which I have been neglecting. I spent a few hours making hand beaded fringe. I still have a LOT of beads left and am thinking of going and setting aside the amount necessary for emnergency repairs and doing more of the fringe trim or two more appliques... for what I am not sure.

I am also working on the black velvet roses for the ball gown... I REALLY need to finish the bustle though.

Not sewing yet, but the next two projects for me are a laptop case (sewing required all over) and a belt which will be for another... These are both in leather so there will be no sewing on the belt... (it's to be a wide belt with studs, and some decorative carving, probably roses, and some basketweave) I think...

I'm sure that there will be pictures when it is complete. I still have to finish putting my "how to carve leather" tutorial together... I have all the pictures and some surprisingly reasonable results not using the proper tools (A fork handle and a utility knife)...

I'm here as a distraction tactic from finishing a whole heap of projects and repairs that I ought to have done ages ago.

Currently working on a shrug in burgundy taffata to match a skirt I found ages ago in a vintage clothes shop, then if I have time making a corset in the same fabric and voila- my Thursday night outfit for Whitby sorted.

I'm also tempted to give this jacket a go

http://www.butterick.com/item/B4954.htm??tab=costumes&page=2

.. although I'd amend the front hem, possibly into a cut-away front. Has anyone used any of Butterick's Making History patterns before?

I'm currently (well, not exactly currently, as I can't sew and type, my arms and/or legs just aren't long enough for one pair to be on another storey to the other) sewing skirts - my beloved bought me an overlocker earlier and I've been getting to grips with it - made a long 6 gore skirt in dark brown cord - but will need to redo it as the tension isn't quite what it should be - the practise pieces were fine though! If I change it from sitting on the waist to sitting on the hip, I can probably get away with just redoing the seams on it. The pattern is the long skirt on the bottom row (http://www.simplicity.com/assets/5469/5469.jpg) - which the aforementioned beloved commented "that's an oldfashioned style" in an approving manner.

I am trying to finish up a coat I drafted almost a year ago, and I also have a pocket-laden belt attachment I'm making up. Mostly so I don't have to risk hearing the phrase "fanny pack" and go on a rampage of fisticuffs, as I am prone to do.I also have the bottom half of a ball gown almost done, but I doubt if I'll finish the top this year. And I need to make myself some sort of costume to be Oberon by January.

Not all steampunk things, but still some cool stuff if I can actually ever finish any of it.

Bout to start a waistcoat for myself, and by 'about to start' I mean about to purchase the pattern. The main interest of this project is that A: It will be mostly done by hand, barring divine, sewing machine shaped intervention, and it will be more or less my first attempt at sewing my own clothes.

I think I'm going to take a break from skirts and make a plain corset or two for daily wear - I've become very convinced today that a lot of my headaches are due to bad posture... I wouldn't wear it all day, just for work, when I spend most of my time sitting badly.

Now that the ballgown is complete I need to turn my attention to the outfit for Saturday night and the Abney Park show. I have most of it already, I just need to make the velvet overskirt which will also be worn with a zillion other outfits. I also need to do upgrades on my leather bustle jacket and the leather underskirt.

Right now. I'm most the way through making a frock coat.... drafted the pattern from the Blue Book of men's tailoring...

I have the shell with the pockets, the canvas and the lining done... now I have to add the facings, put everything together, then the sheaves and collar....then finishing touches (button holes and that sorta thing.)

Even part finished, and hanging on a coat hanger; it does look good. it's a muddled grayish wool, with some blue and brown threads mixed in, At first I didn't think it would work, but now the color of the whole thing is starting to grow on me.....(yay.. happy happy joy joy.... oops... that doesn't sound very dignified...)

Oh, how I envy the talent on this board! I dearly wish I could sew, but all the easy "learn to sew" bags and such are so utterly bland and uninspiring, and I can't bring myself to try my hand at something tricky and fail miserably! *sigh*

Insted of the bags why don't you try a staple of the of the steampunk wardrobe, a waistcoat? They are very simple and give you something fun to ware after you are done. Most vest patterns are easy peasy and you can make a practice one out of old ugly sheets. None of us were born with innate sewing knowledge and I can tell you I have messed up plenty of times and continue to do so. There is no better way to learn than trying. If you do mess up we can help get you back on track.

I am currently remaking a chef Halloween costume in to something more mad scientist. I will post pictures when I am done.